November 24, 2025
Bloomer, Wisconsin–Catalytic Combustion Corporation (CCC) in Bloomer is once again expanding its Riggs Street facility. This is Phase-5 of the Riggs Street campus and, according to Mark Ruff, completes the company’s long range master plan started in 2010.
This expansion includes 15,000 sq. ft. of heavy fabrication/assembly space and a new 8,500 sq. ft. cold storage complex to support equipment storage and large inventory components.
The expansion brings the Riggs Street campus up to 160,000 sq. ft. of industrial fabrication, catalyst and assembly manufacturing along with 16,000 sq. ft. of office space. Catalytic Combustion also operates Plant 1, originally built as the new Catalyst shop in the late 1950s, which now consists of over 16,000 sq. ft. of manufacturing space. In addition to the Bloomer facilities, CCC has several field service and sales offices located throughout the United States.
Ruff said that the company is seeing growth opportunity with the data center expansion going on in the United States. Data center expansion is being driven by artificial intelligence (AI) centers and companies like Microsoft, Amazon, and Google, among others.
Data centers require backup power generation, said Ruff, and Catalytic Combustion engineers and manufactures the technology products to reduce emissions for generator manufacturers such as Caterpillar, Cummins, Generac, MTU/Rolls Royce.
There is also considerable growth in natural gas prime power generation. According to Google’s AI overview, “Natural gas prime power generators are used in a variety of settings where a reliable, continuous power source is needed, including remote industrial sites like oil and gas fields, data centers, hospitals, and microgrids. They serve as the primary, long-term power source for locations that are off-grid or have unreliable utility services.”
“Clean burning natural gas” prime power growth in the nation’s midstream gas compression markets and turbine applications are also providing substantial growth of the catalysts and emission products manufactured by Catalytic Combustion.
2025 marks the 75th Anniversary of the company, originally founded in 1950 after several years of research and development by three individuals: Harold “Russ” Suter, Richard Ruff, and Norbert C. Ruff. The company sales and engineering offices were located in Detroit, Michigan, due to the proximity to heavy industry. However, the team selected a small town for manufacturing operations where people had adventure, imagination, determination, willingness to work, and ability to get things done, and Bloomer, Wisconsin was chosen as that location. Bloomer was the hometown of the Ruff Brothers. Corporate operations moved to Bloomer in the mid-1980s.
Throughout the entire history of the company, the manufacturing operations have been located in Bloomer, Wisconsin. The success of the company over the years and into the future is due to the efforts of many people. Employees past and present have brought their best work ethic, problem-solving ability, grit, and ambition to provide emission control solutions to a broad range of other important companies.
Due to this growth, Catalytic Combustion currently has a wide range of career opportunities available in Bloomer. Positions are available across all shifts for individuals with diverse skills and interests including Operators, Fabricators, Assembly, and more. A full listing of current openings can be found at www.catalyticcombustion.com/careers/